This invention relates to processing whole wheat grains and, more particularly, to a process for preparing chewable whole wheat grains for eating.
As is well known, whole wheat grains or berries comprise an outer shell of bran enclosing endosperm and wheat germ, all three of which components have significant nutritive value. In this respect, the bran is high in fiber content, and all three components are rich in vitamins and minerals. The bran shell in raw wheat is extremely hard, whereby it is impossible to chew and thus eat the whole grains in their raw state. Furthermore, the processes heretofore employed for cooking whole wheat grains in water in connection with producing an edible product including the cooked grains result in overcooking of the grains and thus a loss the valuable nutrients, namely the starches and wheat germ, through leeching thereof into the cooking water. Moreover, the whole grains so cooked have sticky outer surfaces and a somewhat mushy texture, neither of which is desirable nor acceptable with respect to directly eating the cooked grains through the use of ones fingers or the spreading of the grains on or in another edible food product. Still further, such over cooking can result in the bursting of the bran shell and thus exposure of endosperm and wheat germ, whereby the nutrient value thereof quickly dissipates.